Emotion
by Heart-Of-Memories
Summary: AI's are classified as non-sentient creatures. Spartans are classified as emotionless machines. These two prove that wrong, and are now running from the government. The very people they were supposed to serve and protect. Very unfair. \ChiefxCortana/
1. Relief

Heart's Note: Back in September of 2007, I posted another story in this category. "Of a Constuct and a Hero" was a series of drabbles based upon Master Chief/John-117 and Cortana, his AI Partner. One of the Drabbles I wrote, titled "Emotion" got a lot of attention. I was even emailed about it, a month after I completed the series and closed the story. Now, with my major fanfiction completed, I've decided to do a full story on "Emotion". Excuse any creative liberties I may/may not take, I've never read the books/played the games, and have only read the story thanks to my best friend and Halopedia. Let's see if this baby turns out as well as I hope. (smiles)

Disclaimer: Halo and all it characters/locations are copyrighted to Bungie Incorporated. Any and all OC's and locations not related too or haven taken place within the Halo universe are copyrighted to Heart-of-Memories(me).

* * *

September 15th, 2557. UNSC Frigate, Forward unto Dawn.

* * *

There it was again. That small blip responding to the distress beacon. It was tiny, and rather far away from thier current location, but it was something. Cortana frowned, pursing her lips as the blip got a little bigger. It was definitely larger than a floating space probe, but she couldn't tell how much larger with her sensors like this. That was the problem, after going four years without a decent tuneup. Cortana shook her head, turning to look at her still sleeping companion.

"John..." A sad smile graced the AI's profile. He had said to wake him if she needed him, but she wasn't even sure this was a real beacon. She'd let him rest a little more, before waking the man. Just as she'd finished that thought process, her beacon responded to the blip. Had she been human, Cortana was sure that she would have fallen over in shock as a radio signal pierced through the four year silence. To her weary sensors, not even the Gospel Choirs would have sounded better.

_"This is UNSC Cargo Vessal Valkryie. If anyone is still alive, please respond. I repeat, this is UNSC Cargo Vessal Valkryie. If anyone onboard this ship is still alive, please respond." _Almost sobbing in joy, Cortana sent out a response. The happy "handshake" she recieved told her these _were _friendlies, and she turned to John's pod, telling it to start thawing him out. It opened with a hiss, and it took a moment for the once super-soldier to fully awaken. When he did, he immediatly turned to his partner.

"...Cortana?" The AI nodded, smiling widely.

"Yes, Chief. We've been found." The loud hiss of an airlock pressure seal made both AI and Spartan turn, but the green light flashing from that direction relaxed Cortana a little. Still, she made no protest when John yanked her matrix and slipped her back into his helmet, grabbing his battle rifle and floating down the hall towards the open section of the ship. When gravity kicked in and John's legs stood beneath him again, he brought his rifle to bear. On the other side of the pressure seal was another ship, and a man was standing there. Flashing the green light again, he waited until the "okay" sign was given from the Dawn's only living occupant to open the seal, allowing John-117 back into safety's arms.

* * *

10:34 PM Earth Central Standard Time, September 15th, 2557. UNSC Cargo Vessal,Valkyrie.

* * *

The Valkryie wasn't a large vessal by any means, but it was rather roomy for a supposed Cargo Ship. It wasn't very old either. At just 10 years old, Valkryie had a long service life in front of her before she was scrapped, or retired to a shipyard for some odd purpose. Equipped with an Pressure-Sealer, she was often used for recovery missions. On those, however, she was accompanied by one or two Frigates for safety, but since this rescue had been so impromptu...that question answered itself in Cortana's mind. Thier rescue hadn't been planned, but it was certainly appreciated. As Chief stepped through the pressure seal and onto the Valkryie, the man at the control console snapped a salute and stepped away from his post.

"Welcome aboard the Valkyrie, sir!" Chief saluted him back, and the man relaxed. Gesturing for the warrior to follow, he led the way through the ships winding corridors towards the bridge. Giving a salute of dismissal, the man returned to the hall they'd come through, as a tall, thin woman stood from the captains chair. Dusky blonde hair hid her face from view as she spoke.

"When my ship and I were sent out here to recover debris from the Ark, we never thought we'd recover a war hero." The woman turned, revealing dark brown eyes and a welcoming smile. She stepped down, extending her hand to Master Chief.

"Welcome to the Valkyrie, Master Chief." Chief took her hand, giving it a firm shake.

"Good to be here, Ma'am." Lisa Morrison gave a nod, and turned towards her crew.

"Full speed for home. Contact Lord Hood at first light and tell him we've recoved Sierra-117." A salute and a "yes, Ma'am!" came from the communicators console, and a tiny green female form appeared in the arm of the captains chair. Chief nodded a hello to Charity, and she returned the gesture as she turned to her captain.

"At current speed, we'll arrive back at Earth in 13 days. We've enough supplies for double that time." Thanking her AI, Lisa turned towards the tired man in front of her.

"I'll take it you'd like a rest? This way." Most captains didn't leave their control rooms often, but Lisa wasn't an ordinary captain. Sensing that Cortana had questions as well, John extended a hand to let her appear in the Holo-Emmiter. She appeared, arms crossed on her chest. Lisa gave her a nod as she led the way, and Cortana returned the gesture.

"Ma'am, if I may ask...how long has it been since the war ended?"

"Four years. It's now September 15th, 2557." Both Cortana and John stared at the woman for a moment in disbelief. It had been four years? Cortana vanished, and John could literally feel her pacing in his nueral lace as she processed the data. When Captain Morrison stopped in front of a door and pushed it open, Cortana reappeared in Chief's hand.

"Did the Arbiter make it back to Earth alive?" Lisa nodded, and Cortana vanished again. Lisa turned to Chief.

"I'll send someone down with a meal in a moment. Feel free to offload Cortana into the system if you'd like. Rest well." Saluting Master Chief, she disappeared down the hall. Still processing what had happened in the last hour, it took John a moment to enter his new quarters. He shut the door behind him, slipping the lock closed. The room was pretty much bare boned, with a simple nightstand and bed in one corner, a Holo-Emitter for AI's close to the foot of the bed, and a desk and chair closer to the door. Popping the pressure seal on his helmet, John gently removed Cortana's chip and placed it in the Emitter, watching as she appeared in her full height. It was a companionable silence as he removed his armor, and the meal that Lisa said she'd been sending down arrived just as he managed to somehow slip out of the damaged chest plate. A saluting man held a tray of what looked to be steak, and he ran down the hall after John had taken his meal from his hands. Cortana laughed behind him.

"Seems you intimidate people, even out of armor." John gave her a blank stare as he ate, and she laughed all the more. She sobered as he finished, taking a look around thier barebones room. Finally out of the rest of his armor, John took a seat on the bed, head in his hands. Four years...it felt like barely a day. With a sigh, the tired man flopped over on the bed. Cortana stared at him for a moment, then gave a relieved smile as her hero fell asleep. They had been rescued by a friendly, familiar face, John was alive and well fed, and she still had at least a year left in her lifespan.

Somehow, it was going to be all right.

* * *

Heart's Character File

**Lisa Morrison**: Originally a 15 year old girl, Lisa underwent a change to a 19 year old Police Intern, and then to the 27 year old Captain of the Valkyrie. She first met Master Chief during a failed RECON mission, in which her team was all but decimated, leaving her the only survior. Her AI, Charity, was carrying classified information, and Chief was sent in to bring them back, or destroy Charity. They all made it out alive. Becuase of her sisterly bond with Charity, Lisa is adamantly against the destruction of any AI, and becuase of that, ONI had sentenced her to the farthest route from Earth, near the edge of the Milky Way. Head of the Rebel Group: Silmeria, Lisa smuggles AI's in and out of Earth's territory, often taking thier handlers with them. Finding Cortana's distress beacon by complete chance, Lisa's ship would become home to Master Chief for the next leg of his journey. Of course, how long the peace lasts is yet to be seen.

**UNSC AI CTY - 297, AKA, Charity**: An AI with the ability to pilot any class of ship, Charity was assigned to Lisa when the human was 20 years old. They went through the failed RECON Mission of Landis 7 together, and only escaped with thier lives thanks to Master Chief. Since then, Lisa has been Charity's handler and sister figure. But when the ONI called for the destruction of all AI's smart enough to qaulify for semi-sentience, Charity was at risk. Lisa fought tooth and claw to avoid it, and was sentenced to the Valkyrie because of it. Charity feels guilt about this, and does not hesitate to defend Lisa's honor should the need arise.


	2. Anger and Hope

Heart's Note: Is it strange, how well I've slipped back into my niche of Halo stories? I don't think so. Thanks to my six reviewers so far, here's hoping you like this update.

Disclaimer: Halo is Bungies, everything else is mine. Well, with one exception. The idea of Synth Bodies removing the lifespan problem in Smart AI's probably belongs to Newtype Omega, but I'm not really sure...

* * *

Thirteen days, Charity had said. Thirteen days until they would reach Earth. John was sure he'd go nuts, had Cortana not been there to keep him occupied. Pop quizzes, stories from before they'd met, and just talks about everything either could think of kept his mind active during the first week. It was when that week came to a close that things took a turn for the worst. Having just settled in to actually read the book that had been in the desk drawer -_Seems that War and Peace was a classic on the Valkyrie- _a knock sounding on the door put John in a very bad mood. The look on Captain Morrison's face told him the day was about to get worse, and she huffed.

"You're needed on the bridge." Poking her head into the room, the girl nodded at Cortana.

"You've got permission to enter the Valkyrie's mainframe. You'll want to hear this yourself." Cortana nodded, vanishing as John followed Lisa to the bridge. The arm rests of the Captains seats were taken by Charity and Cortana, Lisa's AI seeming like a child next to John's partner. Charity shrunk back a little as the main viewscreen sputtered to life, and everyone on the bridge fired off a salute towards Admiral Margaret Parangosky. She glared towards Lisa.

_"What's this I hear about you recovering Spartan-117? You were not authorized to do so!"_ Lisa rolled her eyes.

"With all due respect, Admiral, what would have had us done? It was pure chance we found Cortana's beacon, and the chances of finding it again are zero to negative numbers!" Charity shrugged her shoulders, rolling her eyes as she muttered to herself.

"-0.0000001, actually." Cortana gave the younger AI a look to silence her, as the Admiral wasn't done.

_"I would have given the order to destroy what was left of the Dawn, that's what."_ And that was the straw that broke the camel's back. Everyone on the bridge stiffened in shock and disbelief, but none more so than Cortana. They would have destroyed the Dawn...they would have killed John?! It didn't matter what happened to her, she didn't care. But for someone to threaten John's safety...that was crossing her line in the sand. Admiral Parongosky finally noticed that John was standing there, dressed in the BDU's that the crew had managed to scrounge up for him. Her eyes narrowed, and she looked in Cortana's direction. Her eyes narrowed even further, and she whirled on Lisa.

_"Destroy that AI at once! You know what'll happen if you don't!" _Lisa snarled. That was it. Running a thumb over her neck, she gave the signal to cut the transmission. Cortana crossed her arms, turning to watch the spectacle as Lisa looked up at John. Two pairs of brown eyes met, before the Captain climbed up the stairs to her chair. Head in her hands, she turned to one of the crew members.

"How close are we to the Elite Homeworld?" Consulting his chart, the man turned towards his Captain.

"If we alter our course now, we'll be there within an hour." Lisa nodded, eyes steady and determined.

"Then full speed. Silmeria's back in action." A rousing cheer rose from the crew, and the Valkryie changed her course. Still a little wary, John walked over to Cortana's side, looking at Lisa. The girl turned towards him, a tiny smile on her face.

"Change of plans, Chief. You can't go back to Earth with Cortana like this." She leaned back in her chair, not at all preturbed by the look he was giving her. Cortana uncrossed her arms, looking at the girl.

"Just what is Silmeria?" Charity turned towards the other AI, green eyes filled with knowledge.

"Silmeria is a rebel organization, dedicated to keeping AI's alive under the ONI's nose." The little AI crossed her legs, "sitting" down to start her tale as Lisa stepped down from the chair to help a crew member.

"Two years ago, the ONI took over the UNSC, forcing Lord Hood into hiding. They issued an order: Terminate any and all AI's showing semi-sentience. Any sign of emotion, and we'd be deleted on sight. At least 500 of our kind were deleted in the first month. Over a thousand more vanished into the Underground, but most of them were ratted out or found before they could reach safety. A man by the name of Kurt Hanson started the first chapter of Silmeria in the United Kingdom of Europe, and it quickly spread. Lisa over there, she heads the Shang-Hai division in China. Or at least, she used to." Charity looked down, eyes filled with sadness. John tilted his head, and Cortana kneeled down to be at the younger AI's level.

"What happened?" Charity bunched her knees beneath her.

"When Lisa was found out to be a Silmeria Leader, she was tortured for almost a month. After that, they sentenced us both to the Valkryie as punishment for "causing an uprising." It's dispicable, what they'll do to erase us." Cortana's brow furrowed, and she stood to her full height as Lisa walked back over, eyes narrowed.

"Another change of plans. We're meeting the Arbiter on a nearby planet. Sangeillos is under attack." Cortana vanished, and John ran back towards his room. He was in armor again when the door swung open, and a man stood there, holding a battle rifle in hand. Chief took it, nodding his thanks. Lisa appeared, gesturing over her shoulder for him to follow. Slipping Cortana's chip back into his helmet, he followed after the girl to a waiting Pelican. The flight to ground was a bumpy one, but it ranked fairly low on his scale. At least, compared to the one he'd taken off the Forerunner Juggernaut. John was snapped from his thoughts as the hatch lowered, letting Chief and Lisa off the bird and onto solid ground. Arbiter was waiting for them, and his eyes widened as he caught sight of Chief.

"By the rings...when Captain Morrison told me they'd recovered you from space, I didn't believe it." John shook his head, it was all right. He extended a hand, shaking with the Elite that had served by his side during those final days. He could feel Cortana smile in his neural lace, and he smiled beneath his helmet. But there was no time for a happy reunion, as the Arbiter soon told them.

"The ONI, as you call them, is attacking us for harboring runaway AI's. We've shipped them to the Gulara Corridor, but I do not know if they will be safe there." Lisa looked towards the red grass beneath her feet, one boot tapping an uneasy rhythm as she thought. It was silence as they watched the girl, before she snapped her fingers.

"Synth bodies." Chief could feel Cortana's confusion, and he held his hand up to let her appear.

"Synth Bodies?" Lisa nodded.

"Yeah. Cybernetic bodies created in the Gulara Corridor. They're made for the war veterans, but they'll make one for AI's if the price is right. It even removes the Lifespan problem in Smart AI's." For a moment, hope surged through both John and Cortana. There was a chance now. A chance to stay alive, a chance to acually hold one another. John turned to the young Captain.

"How far away is the Corridor?" Lisa shrugged.

"A two day flight. We might be able to outrun ONI if we leave now." Both Arbiter and Captain Morrison stared after the Chief as he ran for the Pelican, and Arbiter gave a half smile.

"Seems he has not changed much." Saluting the Elite as he returned to his own ship, Lisa ran after the Spartan to head back up the Valkryie. The Cargo Vessel rocked beneath thier feet as the tiny slip of a Captain returned to her post. She clung to the chair as alarms rang through out the ship, people running back and forth to handle the mess. She turned to the Navigator.

"Gulara Corridor, go!" The man nodded, and they managed to sqeeze past the attacking ONI Ships into a slipspace jump. Only when the alarms stopped ringing did John relax a little, feeling Cortana sigh. They had outrun capture one more time.

And for now, John was feeling pretty lucky.

* * *

"Cortana?"

"Hmm?"

"Do..Do you want a Synth Body?" A pause. She was deep in thought.

"I...I don't know. We could hide better if I stay like this, but..." A rustle of cloth. He'd sat up on the bed.

"But you want to be human."

"Yes. I want to be able to help you more, John." More cloth rustling, and his breath was let out as he leaned against the wall in her gentle blue glow. He smiled a little, nodding his thanks. She smiled back, watching as he dozed against the wall.

Anger had turned to hope, on this fateful day.

* * *

Heart's Note: The ending seemed to...stall...a little, when I was typing it. Ah well, I think it turned out ok, considering I've had KH2 on the brain all day. (pouts)


	3. Jealousy and Loss

To AntiHero: Four years is a very long time. Maybe ONI found Sangiellos. Maybe they have a chance to wipe out the Elites. See, that's the thing. I _never _specified just how many ONI troops were attacking Sangiellos. For all you know, it could have been the entire army or just 3 people. _Work with me here, please_!

Disclaimer: Halo is Bungies, anything else is mine.

* * *

A two day trip. Normally, Cortana wouldn't have been bothered at all, with John to keep her occupied. But as it was, he was busy helping Lisa with something in an area she couldn't get too. It made her really jealous, to be honest. Pouting, she'd just settled down on her little arm of Lisa's chair when Charity popped on on the other side, smiling wide enough to break the Hoover III Dam. She turned her gaze to the older AI, beckoning with one finger.

"Come on! Have we got something to give you!" Confused, Cortana followed after the AI straight to a small room where John also stood, looking very much like a lost puppy. Cortana turned to her partner, who shrugged. Neither had any idea what was going on here. Cortana turned to Lisa, who sat at a computer terminal, typing at the keys. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and pumped a fist.

"We're in." She spun in her seat to face John and Cortana, smiling as the viewscreen came online.

"Master Chief, Cortana, may I present to you...Dr. Halsey." The gentle smile coming from the connective screen was just as he remembered, and it made John's breath hitch in his chest.

"Dr. Halsey..." The black haired woman nodded, still smiling.

"John. Cortana. I'm glad you're all right. Lord Hood told me what had happened, and I thought you were gone forever." Cortana shook her head in disbelief. First, they were rescued from the cold depths of space. Then, the hope of her actually having a body came to life. And now, Dr. Halsey, her _mother_ bieng alive and well? It was like a dream that she never wanted to wake from. Catherine turned around, calling over to some people in the background. There was the sound of running footsteps, and John had to lean back against the wall as two of his closest friends squeezed in next to the woman that had raised him. They waved, gigantic grins on thier faces. Will crowed out a greeting, and Dr. Halsey gave him a light smack on the head for yelling so close to her ear. Kelly rolled her eyes at Will's antics, and shared a nod with John. She smiled at Cortana, before dragging Will off somewhere. Smiling as they vanished from view, Dr. Halsey returned her attention to John.

"Lisa's told me the situation. I'll divert ONI's attention as much as I can, you just get Cortana to safety. Am I understood, John?" He saluted.

"Crystal clear, Ma'am." Catherine nodded, giving her choice pupil a smile before the viewscreen went black as the transmission ended. Lisa leaned back in her chair, looking to Charity as the tiny AI reappeared.

"We're at the Corridor. Docking process...now." The Valkryie rocked a little, before it came to a stop. Lisa stood, brushing off her Captain's uniform before looking up at John.

"Suit up. It'll take a while before we come back." John nodded, leaving the tiny room to return to his qaurters. Cortana stared at him as he returned to his armor, frowning a little as he slipped into the still damaged chestplate. Sensing her eyes on him, John turned around.

"What's wrong?" Cortana looked up, startled that he'd actually caught her staring at him. She shook her head. No need to keep a secret from him. Not this late into the game, anyway.

"For a little while...I was jealous of the time you were spending with Captain Morrison. I know, it's stupid." John shook his head, leaning down to look Cortana in the eyes. As she met the brown eyes of her partner, Cortana was suddenly reminded of her rescue from High Charity.

* * *

_Leaning his head on his arm, John leaned in close to his partner. She lay on her side, head cradled to her arm. _

_"So much of me is wrong...out of place...you might be too late." John closed his eyes. Bieng late wasn't an option. Not here. Not with her. Not ever._

_"You know me. When I make a promise..." Understanding seemed to flood into Cortana, and her codes began to flow properly again as she started to right herself._

_"...You keep it." She smiled up at John, bright blue eyes filled with joy and relief._

_"I do know how to pick 'em." Feeling a grin pick at his lips, John let a little laughter seep into his tone._

_"Lucky me."_

_

* * *

_And now, meeting John's eyes behind his visor, Cortana could read the emotion in them. John sighed, a tiny smile quirking at his lips.

"Not that it matters, but Captain Morrison was telling me directions to the best Synth Shop. It took a bit to set in." Cortana blinked, before she laughed in almost poisonous relief. John hadn't been cheating on her, he was bieng a man who just couldn't get directions right! Rolling his eyes at his partner, John gently removed her chip from the emitter, slipping it back into his helmet. Just before he left the room, John gave it one last passing glimpse. It was still as barebones as it had been when he'd arrived, but it had been home for the past week. He was almost sad to leave the ship behind, but just almost. A man was waiting outside when he stepped through the door into the hall, and salutes were exchanged before John was led down the corridors towards the boarding hatch. The entire crew of the Valkyrie, even Charity, were standing there. When he walked into sight, they all snapped into salutes. It was instinct to salute them back, and they split like the Red Sea to let him through into the sunlight of Gulara VII. Lisa stood at the base of the ramp, near the town entrance. When she head John's footsteps, she turned around and extended her hand.

"Master Chief. It's been an honor bringing you here. Best of luck, to the both of you." The handshake they exchanged was firm, and one final salute was given as John stood at atention.

"An honor to have been aboard your ship, Ma'am. You have our thanks." Lisa nodded, and walked back to her ship. Before the ramp closed to let them return to face the ONI, she turned.

"If you ever need help, go to Downtown Shang-Hai. You'll know where to find Silmeria there." John stared, not really understanding what the Captain meant. But she was gone before he could ask, and John was forced into the town proper as the Valkyrie took to the skies once more. Once she was free of the atmosphere, a Slipspace corridor opened up and she was gone before John could even blink. Cortana sighed.

"What did she mean...by we'll know? Any ideas?" John shrugged.

"Not a one." He turned, getting his bearings in the desert town. Shoulders squared, he set off to get his partner a body.

Or at least...to try and find his way.

* * *

October 1st, UNSC Cargo Vessal Valkyie

* * *

The sharp crack of gunfire rang in the recycled air of Valkryie, and Charity cursed at the ONI soldiers shooting at her Captain. Even with a leg wound that had sent her to thr ground, Lisa had continued to fight to defend her AI. One of the men called out to her.

"Cease this foolishness! Hand over the AI and you'll get a fair trial!" Lisa spat, a mixture of blood and spit.

"Trial! My ass! ONI doesn't give trials to Silmeria!" Another one of the men snarled, not willing to play nice as bullets pinged off of Lisa's blood soaked cover.

"You rebel bitches don't deserve a trial! You deserve death!" More bullets rang through the air, and Lisa hit the ground with a cry as one of them ripped straight through her right shoulder. The gun fell from her hand, and Charity could do nothing but watch as Lisa tried to get back in the fight. But it was too late, and the men took a few steps forward. Eyes narrowed in pain, Lisa managed to pull herself up against Charity's emitter.

"Activate Misery Protocol Delta." Charity nodded in understanding, saluting her captain of seven years.

"Yes Ma'am. Rest in Peace, Lisa." A smile on her face, Lisa's hed fell to her chest as the last breath she'd ever take left her lungs. Had she been human, Charity's vision would have blurred with tears as she looked down at her closest friend. Eyes blazing with rage, she whirled on the men before them. With but four words, everything went to hell.

"Long live the UNSC."

They never recovered anything from the wreckage of the Valkyrie. Protocol Misery had done it's job.

* * *

Heart's Note: (crosses arms) In my Original plan for this, the final paragraph happened in a much less violent way. But It's _HALO,_ and I'm a sucker for blood. And no. I'm not a Vampire. God be damned, I'm pale, I dislike sunlight and crowds, but I ain't a blood-sucker! I'm just a computer geek. Who sometimes can't get her own computer to listen to her. (laughs)

Lisa and Charity are the first OC's I've ever killed off, so a moment of silence in memory. They lasted three chapters, so hey.

**Misery Protocol Delta: **A protocol inserted in some AI's, that gives the order to activate the Self-Destruct mechanism within the ship they hold. A useful tool, if in the right hands. Otherwise, it's a disaster waiting to happen.


	4. Acceptance

Heart's Note: (crosses arms) The deaths of Lisa and Charity didn't seem to get much attention, did they? By the way, for the WordPad documents, I shorten Emotion into EMO. Just thought some of you would get a laugh out of that.

Disclaimer: Halo is Bungies, I own nothing but any remaining OC's. Well, Kurios is based off of the Planet Rosa from the Level-5 Game Rogue Galaxy, but that's not mine either. I just own a copy of the game, is all.

* * *

The Desert of Gulara VII was wracked with constant sandstorms, but the Colony of Kurios was safely hidden with the walls, away from the churning sands. Of course, ships would often find thier way to the desert planet, and it was now a smorgasbord of people, foods, and even AI's. So much so, that Chief, even in his damaged Mjolnir Armor, fit in like a sock on a foot. From within his nueral lace, Cortana looked out on the world in awe.

"This place...it's amazing! There's so much here, that my sensors are off the charts!" Sensing John's worry, she laughed a little.

"No need to worry, I'm fine." John wasn't truly convinced, but kept on walking through the desert town. People were making deals about food, clothing, prosthetics, and even ships! Several merchants called out to the warrior to sample or buy thier wares, but he shook his head at them and continued his trek. He didn't really get along with all these people around him, in such close proximity. When he saw an open air plaza a little further into the town, it was no surprise to Cortana that he all but ran for the arch.

"Silmeria's active again?! Then where's Morrison?" John stopped, turning to face two lean females standing on the far side of the plaza he'd entered. They leaned in close to one another, and talked in hushed tones. The taller one spoke up now, seeming to be grieving something.

"Didn't you hear? The _Valkyrie_ was attacked by the ONI. CTY activated MSY, there was nothing left to find of them." The shorter female and Cortana gasped in unison, and even John was surprised. They had seen Lisa only hours ago, and now she was dead? The taller one opened her mouth, but then caught sight of John staring towards them. Eyes narrowed, she stalked over to him, red colored ponytail swishing behind her. When she reached John, she poked him in the chest.

"Can we help you, Mr. Armor? Or are you just checking out the merchandise?" Behind his visor, John gave her a blank stare. She removed her arm from his chest when he crossed his arms over the damaged plating, stance shifting for combat as he noticed the sharp looking blade hanging at the females hip.

"I knew Lisa Morrison. Is she really dead?" The woman stiffened, then relaxed. Eyes closed, she nodded.

"According to the transmission all Silmeria Branches recieved, The _Valkyrie_ was attacked just an hour ago. No probes found anything, so it's safe to assume they're gone." The shorter female walked over, patting her companion on the arm before looking up at John. She pursed her lips, then snapped her fingers.

"You're S-117! Morrison sent a transmission about you and CTN. We're to help you anyway we can." She suddenly looked over her shoulder, then around the plaza as the hairs on the back of John's neck stood up a little. Her companion slapped something into his hand, then grabbed the shorter woman by the arm and ran off. Discretly as he could, John returned to the marketplace. He ducked into an alcove, keeping his back to the wall as he unraveled the tiny paper he'd be handed.

_Silmeria resides in the Sacred Fountain_

John stared at the slip of paper, not really understanding. Cortana paced in his nueral lace, arms crossed.

"Sacred Fountain. There was a fountain in that plaza back there, but I don't think we should check now." Lights began to dim, and people trickled away from the plaza and marketplace to goodness knew where. When the last group of people left the now empty market, and the final stall was packed up for the day, John removed himself from the alcove with a wince. Even after all these years of evolution, humankind still hadn't been able to get over that little quirk of bones cracking when people held still for too long. His back would just have to protest later, he had work to do! Careful to mind his footing on the pavement, John walked over to the fountain. The water trickled slowly, in a pattern of sounds that was almost musical if he listened hard enough. Suddenly, John's eyes narrowed. There was something engraved into the fountain's base, a symbol of some kind. It appeared to be a woman with a winged helm, holding her hands out to who ever gazed upon her. John kneeled down for a closer look, fingers brushing the symbol. He leapt back as stone began to move, and the fountain slowly scraped across the plaza floor to move away from a set of stairs. Cortana let out a sound of vague shock.

"Silmeria resides in the Sacred Fountain. The Norse Valkyrie, Silmeria...hmph. Wanna see where those stairs go?" John only flicked his helmet lights on, bringing his Assault Rifle to bear as he descended into the deep. The sound of stone scraping on stone made him look back up from halfway down the stairs, and he cursed as the fountain slid back into place, blocking off the hole he'd come through. Cortana cursed, and then sighed as John shook his head. No where to go but down, it looked like. The stairs seemed to go on forever, but finally leveled out to a tunnel with running water next to a walkway. John walked forward slowly, cautious. The fountain had made a racket when it moved, so he wouldn't have been surprised if there would be someone to try and ambush him in here. From within his nueral lace, Cortana narrowed her eyes.

"I don't like this..it's too easy."

"Easy?"

"Yes, easy. There should be a gaurd, or a booby trap, or something! What kind of secret society leaves a base ungaurded?" John tensed, backstepping as footsteps came running from all directions, flashlights and guns finding themselves focused on him.

"You just _had _to ask, didn't you." Cortana chuckled nervously, and John flicked the safety off his rifle. Everyone within shooting range noticed the gesture, and the sound of safeties clicking off of weapons echoed in the chamber. It was as if time had stopped for a moment, as all the combatants found thier target. The first shot went inches wide of John's side, and all hell broke loose. His first shot went through the leg of a man towards his left, knocking him and the person directly behind him to the ground. Shields flaring, John took a step back before emptying his clip into at least anothe rhalf dozen people. While John was aiming to knock his attackers from the fight, they were aiming for headshots or his torso, rather than arms and legs. Cursing as his shileds finally failed, John ducked back into the passageway he'd come from to try and reload. But for everystep he took back, his assailants took two steps forward. They leapt down from the passageways they stood in, splashing water and some kind of blue fluid around. Cortana snarled. There wasn't enough time for John's shield to come back online, and he was almost out of ammo. Backed into a corner. But John suddenly looked up as another pair of running footsteps caught his attention, and the red-headed girl from before charged out of one of the passageways, lowering the weapon of a man she passed.

"For crying out loud!! He's one man, dammit! Cease Fire!" All his attackers stared at the girl in shock, but as she continued to glare at them in annoyance, weapons were lowered and safeties clicked back on. The red-headed girl turned to John, taking a step forward and extending her hand.

"My name is Nancy. Welcome to Silmeria, both of you." John stared at her for a long, tense moment. Was this a trap, so they could capture him or Cortana? No..despite the "warm" welcome, they didn't seem hostile. Still, John kept his Assualt Rifle ready to shoot if need be as he stepped out of the tunnel and into Silmeria's arms.

* * *

ONI Headquarters, Earth

* * *

Admiral Margaret Parangosky was _not _happy. Captain Morrison had gone against a direct order and recovered Spartan-117, before sending him somewhere they couldn't find the thrice be damned soldier, and had just blown herself and her ship up! A waste of a perfectly good Cargo Ship, not to mention another AI that had escaped her grasp. CTN-491 had been a thorn in ONI's side for years, ever since her creation. And now that she was in the hands of one of the last remaining Spartans...it spelled trouble for her. If he ever came back to Earth...she dreaded that day. Downing the rest of her stiff liqour, the old Admiral stood up to move to her window, admiring the city below. She had wrenched the world away from that fool, Terrance, and God's above be damned, she wouldn't let some damn computer and an outdated soldier take this away from her.

* * *

Heart's Note: I don't know much of Parangosky's behavior, seeing as I've _never_ read the books. My apologies if she's out of character, but that's the best I could do, with just Halopedia as a guide. (crosses arms) I don't like Hood, but from what I've been told...I dislike this lady even more!(rubs neck) I'm also horrible at action scenes. I can write romance like a pro, but action...you'd have better luck telling a dog to meow.


	5. Joy

Heart's Note: I dun care what anyone says. YouTube is a blessing.

Also, to AntiHero (again). Look. I understand what humanity lost after the war. But what you don't seem to understand is that this is FANfiction. Hello, do you not know the word FAN? I'm quite sure it's in a dictionary, please look it up. I am a pessimistic romantic at heart, I twist things to fit my version of reality, and if you don't like that, tough shit. There are hundreds of other fanfictions out there that are actiony like the games (Which yes, I did watch a playthrough of on YouTube) go read those. I meanwhile, will be writing this.

You're fucking pushing the luck of any other Anon reviewers. Don't push me, I bite.

Disclaimer: Halo is Bungies, any surviving OC's are mine.

* * *

Compared to the town above, sleeping in the cold desert nights, Silmeria was quite active in the late hours. People walked and ran, talked and shouted at one another as children played in the courtyards. It was a melting pot, even more diverse than the open market above. But there was no time to sightsee, as Nancy led them through the winding passageways.

"You'll be needing a Synth Body for your partner, right? Best person to get one for ya is Tony. 'Course, who knows if he's still around..." She rolled her eyes, taking a sharp left as they entered an open plaza, much like the one above. But instead of thier being a fountain in the center, there was a winding spiral staircase, leading up to the surface. When she no longer heard John's footsteps behind her, Nancy turned to see him staring at the stairs.

"That thing? It leads up to the Old Space Port. No one uses it anymore. Not since the explosions." John turned back to face the girl.

"Explosions?" Nancy nodded.

"Yeah. Buncha thrice damned fusion coils and some snobby rich brats from offworld. They thought it'd be funny to blow 'em up. Ended up killin' themselves and near wiping half the damn town off the map." She heaved a sigh, then turned on her heels to pound on a wooden door. John heard a muffled curse from within, then the door was swung open. A man poked his head out of the door, glaring at Nancy with red-rimmed brown eyes.

"What?"

"Tony in?" The man rolled his eyes, calling something out over his shoulder before vacating the door as a black haired teen came barreling out, stopping just short of knocking them both to the ground. His blue eyes widened as he caught sight of Chief.

"Santo Madre de Dios..." He whirled on Nancy, talking in rapid, broken English.

"Why you not tell me you find him!?" He shook his head as Nancy opened her mouth to answer, then grabbed at John's arm to try and drag him into the house. To both John and Cortana's surprise, the slip of a man actually pulled the feat off, and Nancy laughed as she followed them in, shutting the door behind her.

"Tony used to be an AI. His handler's around somewhere..." Tony made a face as John dug in his feet, and he looked up at the soldier.

"So...you need body? I don't make that big for cheap." John shook his head.

"It's not for me. It's for her." John held out a hand, and Cortana appeared. She leaned back as Tony got a little too close, examining her.

"Si...si. I do this for her, simple. Woman?" John and Cortana both laughed a little, then nodded. Tony turned and took off down a dimly lit hall, kicking at a lump of cloth that laid on the floor along the way. The lump groaned, and the man who'd answered the door stood up, cursing.

"Tony, you bastard..."

"Que?" The brown haired man sighed, running a hand over his face as he plopped over on a nearby couch. John frowned, not really convinced this was a good idea. A few yelps from further down the hall, and Tony suddenly poked his head back out into sight.

"Ven!" John understood a little spanish, and knew that this word meant come. Nancy gave his back a little shove, and Cortana flashed a tiny smile towards her partner as her hologram vanished from sight. Calling on some of the courage he'd used on the battlefield so many times, John followed after Tony. The hallway led into a small lab, where it seemed to be broad daylight from all the electric circuits blazing. Computers older than John, mannequin like dolls, and lots of voltage bars were scattered across the room. Tony sat in one chair, wheeling from the computer to a body set close to the wall. It was covered in a cloth from the shoulders down, but it was obviously female in proportions with black hair coming down to the chin. Typing at his keyboard, Tony turned around.

"This body all ready for AI. You put her in?" He then tilted the AI's head down, revealing a slot for a Matrix Crystal hidden behind the hair. John hesitated, then shook his head.

"How do I know this isn't a trap?" Tony took a minute to process his words, then frowned.

"No trap. I not trap fellow AI's. Nancy, explain to him?" Nancy nodded, and Tony sauntered off down the hall. Throwing her ponytail back over her shoulder, Nancy leaned against the wall.

"ANT-894. Antonio. Tony was created a while ago, almost 15 years. He's not a Smart AI class, but he was targeted by the ONI anyway. His handler, Ricardo, left his wife to get Tony to safety, and died in the process. The man out there is Ricardo's son, Emanuel. Long story short, Tony knows what it feels like to be hurt by losing someone. He wouldn't trap anyone in the ONI." Almost as if she could sense Chief's wariness, Nancy headed for the door. She looked over her shoulder as she shut the door behind her.

"We'll give you five minutes. Please, don't make a mistake." The door slipped shut with a quiet click, and Cortana sighed a little. John held out his hand, leaning lightly against a wall as she appeared. She looked to the Synth Body, then back to her partner.

"I think we should do this." She held up a hand, stopping John's protest in midword.

"No, John. I know the risks. I know what's at stake here, but we..I can't stay like this. I want to help you. I want to be able to comfort you in more than just words, when you need it. And I can't do that while I'm like this. Please, John. For me?" John closed his eyes. He couldn't lose her, and this wasn't foolproof. He could tell. But what other choice did they have? It was either hide as humans, or be found as a Spartan and AI team. There was no other choice. Damning the ONI to various pits in Hell, John took a breath and looked back to Cortana. She was desperate to convince him, he could tell.

"Is this was you really want? I don't think there's any way to come back from this." Cortana's eyes lit up, and she nodded.

"I'm sure, John. I'm sure." John nodded, smiling a little behind his helmet. She was stubborn all right, and he hoped that never changed. There was knock on the door, and Tony peeked his head in.

"Ready?" Cortana nodded, and Tony walked back into the room. He took a seat on his chair, parting the body's hair to reveal the slot again.

"Put her chip in here." Giving John one more smile, she faded from his hand.

"I'm ready. Yank me, Chief." Swallowing back his fears, John gently removed her chip from the back of his helmet. It clicked perfectly into the slot, and cover went over the grey hole. There was a sound from Tony's computer, before he removed the now empty chip and passed it back to John.

"Wait." He stood up, leaving the room again as the body leaning against the wall began to stir a little. John leaned down, lifting the head to be able to see her eyes when she opened them. It took a tense moment, but bright blue eventually stared back at him as Cortana's now human eyes opened. She stared at her partner for a moment, before raising a hand to her face and rubbing at it. She stiffened, and lowered her hand as John set a hand on her shoulder. She stared at him again, before flinging her arms around his neck, slim fingers curling around themselves as they finally were able to exchange an embrace with one another. John let out a sigh of relief, choking back the lump in his throat.

She seemed to be ok. They were ok. They were human.

And somewhere up above them, Avery Johnson and Miranda Keyes exchanged huge grins with one another.

* * *

(crosses arms) I know, the ending was over-romanced, but I dun care. I like it, and if you don't, please shove off. Thank you. (sweet smile)


	6. Anguish

Note: We've reached the halfway mark now. Emotion is going to be 10-11 chapters, no more. And now, without further adieu, new chapter!

Disclaimer: Halo is Bungies, any surviving OC's are mine. (Do I honestly have to keep saying that?)

* * *

It was like a whirlwind. The emotions she could feel were honestly a lot like when she was still an AI, but the feel of Chief's armor beneath her arms and fingers, the smell of plastics and metals in the room, and the taste of salty tears of relief that ran down her cheeks as they clung to one another. She could tell John was wary about hurting her, but she didn't care. She could have stayed like this forever, but the sound of gunfire snapped them both from theier reverie. A massive explosion shook the room, and John put himself between Cortana and the door, bringing his rifle to bear as the door flew open, letting Nancy drag Tony into the room as the male kicked and screamed for something. She kciked the door shut, slamming the lock down as more gunfire rang from outside. John stood up, with Cortana hanging from his shoulders.

"What's going on out there?" Nancy turned, cursing.

"ONI. They fucking found Silmeria!" Cortana started back, bright blue eyes wide.

"What? That can't be right...they didn't know about the Corridor, did they?" Nancy shook her head, cursing as Tony bolted up, throwing himself through the door and into the hall. The redhead ran after him, running out of John's sight before he could grab her. Cortana put one hand on his arm, making the once super-soldier turn back to face her.

"Go after her." John shook his head.

"No. I'm not leaving you behind this time." Cortana stared, then smiled in gratitude. John had made his choice. He had chosen her. Throughout the rest of the night, John stood with his rifle pointed towards the door, ready for anyone who'd try to make thier way into the small room. The sounds of Cortana ticking away at Tony's computer for anything she could use was calming, before she shut down the mainframe with a sigh. She shook her fingers a little, and John gave her a wry smile behind his helmet. She gave him a little push, before settling back in Tony's chair. It wasn't long after that, that John heard a pair of limping footsteps. He raised his rifle, putting the barrel to a mans chest. A curse was heard.

"Dammit, man! I'm on your side!" John gave the man a long, hard stare. But the face was true, and John backed away a little. It was the man who'd opened the door, Emanuel or something. He stepped into the room, and sighed.

"Tony and Nance are dead. ONI wiped out a damn lotta AI's today." Cortana dipped her head forward in grief, and John shook his head. He looked back up at Emanuel. The man's eyes were filled with grief, but he shoved it aside as he held out a bundle of cloth to Cortana.

"It's clothes. You can still leave this place. Please. Go to Earth and stop the ONI from ever doing this again." Cortana accepted the bundle, and Emanuel stepped from the room. Before he left, he turned back to the two people left standing after the crisis.

"You two...you're Silmeria's hope and dreams. You're all we have left." He limped away, before John heard a thump of a body. Turning away from Cortana as she dressed, they stood back to back. He heard the sheet fall, and the snap of various clothing zippers and buttons.

"You can turn around now, John." He turned just a little, smiling at his partner. The clothes were a little big on her, but they would have to do. Of course, the lack of shoes could be a problem. John shook his head, offering her his back. She smiled, climbing up and latching her arms around his neck. With his rifle out in front of him, John began the long walk back to the surface. He felt Cortana's grip tighten as they walked past a child trying to wake his dead mother, and siblings clinging to one another as crimson fluid poured from ones mouth. When they stumbled upon Nancy's body close to the stairs, Chief leaned over to close her eyes. A key in her hand, along with a note, caught his attention, and he gently pried them from her chilling fingers. He unraveled the paper, reading it aloud.

"To open the gates to Silmeria, simply turn this Key. May you travel in safety, S-117." John and Cortana bowed thier heads in respect to the girl, before John stepped around her body and up the stairs. He turned his helmet lights on as the door to the now destroyed underground city closed behind them. Cortana licked her lip.

"John?"

"Hmm?"

"Do..do you think it was worth it? A lot of people died back there..." John nodded.

"I know. But, Cortana, we both know ONI would have found them eventually. From what Charity told us, it wasn't really a secret." Cortana nodded, her fears appeased for the moment. It wasn't long before they reached the top of the staircase, and John had to bend to avoid knocking either his head or Cortana's on the ceiling as he fumbled with the key. It finally slipped into a tiny hole, and the fountain above moved aside. Cortana hopped down from his back, letting John peek his head out into the town, before helping her up. Keeping an eye on his still functioning motion senser, John stepped out from Silmeria and into the Trading Town above. It was a worse mess that Silmeria, with people trying to get stands and the lot back up to speed. Some Ex-Covenent were there as well, and John was very much surprised to see Arbiter helping a young child find her mother. Amber eyes met John's, and the Elite turned as the young mother claimed her child.

"Spartan." John gave him a nod, keeping Cortana back behind him. Arbiter stepped over, staring at Cortana for a moment, before he nodded.

"I see. Silmeria succeeded." The Elite took a breath, before turning back to John.

"You'd best come with us. ONI must be stopped, and you are the only one who can do so." John's shoulder's sagged a little. He was tired of all this. He was tired of fighting. Tired of killing. Cortana put a hand on his arm, and he looked back at her. She nodded, and John turned back to face the Arbiter.

"You have a ship?" Arbiter's mandibles seemed to curve in a smile, and he gave a simple nod. He barked out orders to some of the other Elites, before walking away towards the New Space Port. John followed after him once Cortana settled herself on his back again, and let the Elite lead them to a waiting Carrier. The boarding ramp was already lowered, and the man standing at it's peak surprised John.

"Admiral Hood?" Both Cortana and John stared in shock as thier commanding officer walked down the ramp, removed his hat, and saluted them.

"John, Cortana. I am sorry." Cortana tilted her head. John had told her what Admiral Hood had said, before he'd left Earth.

"What's there to apologize for? You'd done nothing wrong." Terrance Hood stared at the pair for a long, tense, moment. It was as if the burden he'd carried for the past 4 years had finally begun to ease, all becuase of these two people. He replaced his hat onto his head, turning to return to the carrier as Arbiter led the way for John and Cortana. The hatch closed behind them, and John felt the ship rock beneath his feet as it took off. Arbiter led the way to a control room, where at least a dozen Elites snapped out salutes to thier commander. Arbiter gave John a look out of the corner of his eye.

"They salute you both as well." Cortana stared after the Elite, but he was already speaking with the commander of this ship before she could speak up. Slipspace claimed thier view of space, and Arbiter returned to John's side as a holograpic view of a large building appeared in front of the Shipmaster. He spoke, deep voice ringing in pure, unbroken English

"This is the ONI building. We are to make entry points at the front doors, rear hatches, and rooftop." He pointed to the three positions, highlighting the one on the roof.

"Spartan and Arbiter, you will be entering through the roof to get to the Admiral. Dispose of her, end this. As you do so, Two squads of my people and your army will breach the building from the lower level, creating a distraction." The holograph vanished, and the Shipmaster turned to face Arbiter and John.

"There is but once chance to do this operation. Fail, and none of us will live to see the next sunrise." John nodded. He understood the risks. He always had, really. The Shipmaster turned back to face the view of Slipspace.

"We will arrive at Earth in roughly 4 days. Make use of this time to prepare. Dismissed." Lord Hood took John by the arm, and Cortana followed after the men as the Admiral led John to a room.

"You can both stay here. Should be enough room." John and Cortana nodded, and before Hood had walked away, John turned to him.

"Sir? Did Commander Keyes...did she survive?" Hood looked away, then shook his head.

"I'm sorry, son. She didn't make it." He walked down the hallway, leaving John and Cortana standing there before she gave him a little push. The door closed behind them, and John popped the pressure seal on his helmet. Cortana placed a hand on his cheek, and he captured it with his own.

"We'll be all right, John. I know we will." Even if he'd never really let it show, Cortana knew that John was barely holding back the tears from hearing of Miranda's death. While she helped him get out of the still damaged armor, Cortana mused. First had been so many of the Spartans, then Commander Keyes Senior, then Johnson, and just now, learning of Miranda's death. It took it's toll on the man, she could tell. With the last of his armor laying close to the door, John turned around and grabbed Cortana into a hug. She wrapped her arms around his back, letting him take comfort in the fact she was a solid entity now.

"It's ok. It'll be ok, John."

But to be completly honest, Cortana wasn't really so sure of that herself.

* * *

Heart's Note: (crosses arms) Let it be said I don't like Hood at all. This..was kind of a way to redeem him a little. He was kind of a bastard to Chief and Miranda in Halo 3. Also, the Shipmaster I mentioned? Not the same one from Halo 3. Yeah, some of you know who I'm talking about!


	7. Distress and Victory

Heart's Note:...well. That was awkward. I just realized..you can delete Anon reviews. Try coming back this time, Anti-Hero. I dare you. Hmph. (Yess, I am a bitch!)

Disclaimer: Halo is Bungies, and any surving OC's (which probably is none) are mine.

* * *

They were already close to Earth, and John stared down at Cortana as she sat crosslegged on the bed. She stared up at him in equal terms, but his view didn't waver as he shook his head.

"No. That's my final desiscion, Cortana." She clenched her fists, eyes starting to rage.

"But why?! I can help you! I know I can!" John sighed, putting his head into his hands.

"Cortana, I know you can help me. But you're not trained for battle yet, and I won't risk you in the field." She glared.

"But you were willing to risk me when I was still an AI?!" John sighed through his teeth. She was missing the entire point! Women sometimes...

"No, Cortana, I wasn't willing to risk you then either. But back then, I could easily protect you! Back then you were a chip in my helmet. Now, you're human! Humans can die, Cortana. We both know that." Cortana opened her mouth to protest, but John cut her off.

"No. My answer stands at No. I love you, Cortana. I will not lose you now. Not ever." Cortana's eyes suddenly filled with guilt as John looked away to regain his composure. She stood, wrapping her arms around John's middle. He clung to her, not willing to break down yet, but the wall inside was cracking. It wasn't the first argument they'd had, but it hit home now. A knock at the door should have sent them scrambling apart from one another, but Arbiter was willing to wait for a moment as Cortana soothed John's fear just a little. Taking a breath, John slipped his helmet back on as Arbiter opened the door.

"Spartan. If you're ready." John nodded, and Arbiter turned to Cortana.

"You can guide us from the Command Center. You will be safe aboard this ship, I swear it." That was good enough for John, and if it was good enough for John, it was good enough for Cortana. She let the men lead her to the Command Center, where the Shipmaster saluted Arbiter and John. Cortana still firmly believed that Spartan's never died, but John wasn't entirely Spartan. No..

He was only human.

* * *

The landing on the roof of the ONI building was a rough one. John's shoulder bumped the metallic substance of the Elite Drop-pod, and he winced a little. They really had no time to fix up his old dented armor, and it was starting to show in the bruises he'd have when they were through with this. Just like before, Cortana's voice rang in his ears.

_"There should be an entrance hatch about 50 paces west of you. Be careful, the Entrance Squads didn't draw all the gaurds away."_ John nodded, and Arbiter kicked down the door to the Drop Pod, sending Covenant Metal skittering across the roof. The Elite leapt out of the pod first, Energy Sword ready to slice and/or dice anything that got in his way. When the "all clear" sign was given, John took off after his mission partner. Just as Cortana had said, the entrance hatch was there. It was a metal hatch built into the roof, leading down onto the top floor. John ripped it from the hinge, making it groan as the metal bent and warped. That caught the attention of various gaurds, but they met thier end at the blunt end of Arbiters Sword.

_"Ok. John, left until the corner, then straight down three halls." _Arbiter and John followed Cortana's orders to the letter, knocking out various gaurds that got in their way. When a glancing bullet grazed Arbiter's arm, the soldier that had shot at him laughed.

"Take that, you freak!" He, of course, met the floor after John gave him a nice clock upside the head. Arbiter huffed.

"And I still wonder why The Prophets did not glass this world when they could." John gave him a look, but they both knew it was sarcasm at it's best.

_"If you two are done making out, you'd better move. I'm counting multible bogies headed your way, and they're not looking friendly." _With a curse, Chief and Arbiter made a break for it. Hallways seemed to blue past them, until a metal door slammed shut behind them. John frowned. How the hell had that happened. As Arbiter examined the door, John hailed the radio.

"Cortana?"

_"HA! I knew I could still do that!"_ She cleared her throat.

_"That should keep them off your tail for a while. Parongosky's office is at the end of the hall."_ There was a severe metal thunk from the other end of the door, making Arbiter jump back and John raise his weapon.

"No need to tell me twice. Arbiter, come on." Both Elite and Spartan ran on down the hall, heading to the now open door to Margaret Parongosky's Office. John was more than a little nervous. This was reminding him too much of Spark's Betrayal. He tightened his fingers around the Assualt Rifle in his hand, and Arbiter gave him a concerned glance before walking into the room first. On his private channel, Cortana's voice was concerned.

"John?"

"I'm fine." Taking a breath, John followed after Arbiter into the room where his enemy was waiting. With the back of her large chair facing the window overlooking the nightlit city, Admiral Parangosky spoke up.

"John-117. Spartan-117. One of the last of your Squad. Terrance spoke highly of you, even after you vanished on us. The old fool never understood." The chair turned around slowly, revealing the near 100 year old woman in her dress uniform. She leaned over her desk, standing on creaky bones.

"Of course, I know better. You and your lot are a disaster waiting to happen. The feelings of 'family', loyalty, affection...useless things. Emotions are useless. AI's that feel Emotion are useless. Just like that whore of yours." John's eyes narrowed, and the sight bead of his Assualt Rifle founds it's place on the fallen Admiral's heart. He wouldn't shoot yet, but if she slandered Cortana again..he wouldn't hesitate. Parangosky laughed, and Arbiter winced as he brought his Energy Sword to bear. This woman was insane.

"Don't you see, you fool?! I thought you had died in the destruction of the Ark. The last weapon capable of defeating the ONI, dead. But then...oh, but then our dear Commander Morrison had to go and recover you from the depths of your cold prison. Well, had it just been you...I would not have worried. But to have seen your slut partner...she worries me." Parongosky downed the glass of amber liquid on her desk, turning to look out the window.

"Out of the surviving candidates, only you were assigned an AI. Only you and CTN-491 could ever hope to stop the ONI. Not even Terrance saw this one coming, and the fool thought he'd seen the worst after the War." Ok...now she was rambling. John shook his head. He needed answers.

"That explains nothing. Why did you order AI's deleted?" Parangosky laughed again.

"Simple, child. I was rooting out any hopefuls. You see, if no one stood up to us, then we could have taken over the world. ONI is stronger than the UNSC and the Elite's combined. We could have taken over the world, and we still can." She now turned around, extending a hand to John.

"Side with me, and your partner will be spared. Otherwise, she will meet the same fate as CTY-297. You will meet the same fate as Morrison, once we dissect you." That certainly clinched the deal, and John took a backseat as Spartan-117 came back into full action.

"That's not going to happen." Sensing the change in the room, Arbiter readied himself for combat. But it was too little, too late. Parangosky laughed, and the windows were suddenly covered with a thick metal sheet. The lights went out, and the door slammed shut behind them. There was the sound of footsteps, but by the time that John got his helmet lights going, Parongosky had shuffled out of the room. In her place were several Sentinels, all of them focusing thier attention on John and Arbiter.

"Oh...Fuck."

* * *

Back on the Elite Ship, Cortana was going nuts. How had the ONI gotten all the Forerunner Tech they had? Dammit, they were living up to thier names as Demons. Cursing under her breath, Cortana attacked her terminal. If she could just get a light turned on, just open the door...something!

JOHN!

* * *

It was just like Spark's Betrayal, now that he could think back. Arbiter was sagging against the wall, bleeding from a leg wound. But he could still shoot, so he and John had exchanged weapons. At the moment, as Arbiter fired off potshots at the remaining Sentinel, John weaved in and out of it's blasts as he hacked at it's shield. With a whirring sound, they finally died out and John was able to drive the sword into the thing's core. With a weary sigh, John leaned against the wall next to his mission partner. Arbiter clacked his mandibles.

"We exchanged one enemy for another four years ago, and we've found a new one today." John nodded to the Elite, understanding what he meant. Even if they managed to get rid of the Admiral, ONI would never really die out. John was spooked from his thoughts as the lights came on the and the doors out of here slammed into the walls in thier haste to open up.

_"JOHN! Are you all right?!" _Cortana...

"Arbiter's down, leg wound. I'm fine, just winded. Any sign of Parangosky?" Back to business, Cortana's tone finally evened out. When would he stop giving her heart attacks? Who knew.

_"She's on the roof. The door in the northeast side of the office will lead you up there. I'll send someone to get Arbiter." _John nodded, standing up again as Arbiter handed him his weapon back. 3 Bullets left, that would do. With just a nod, John left Arbiter leaning against the wall. The Elite didn't need help here, he was fine now. Besides, had he stayed, John would probably have found himself on the recieving end of an Elite Punch. John shook his head in amusement, taking the stairs to the roof two at a time. Cortana's voice rang in his ears, the private channel.

"She' might have a shield. You'll have to knock that down first, if she does." John burst through the door to the roof just as Paragosky turned around to face him.

"Ah..I see my Sentinels didn't kill you. Shame." Acting like a woman a fifth of her age, Parangosky withdrew a strange looking pistol and fired a single shot. While it caused no damage to John himself, both John and Cortana cursed as his shields dropped and wouldn't charge up again. Parangosky laughed, dropping the strange pistol and raising her arms to the sky.

"See?! The Lord shines down on those worthy of him!" John frowned. Lord? Cortana snorted.

"Just shoot her already." John didn't need to be told twice, and fired all three bullets into the woman's torso. Blood flowed from the wounds and her mouth, streaming red into the dawning sky as she fell over the buildings rail to the streets below. Even a hundred floors up, John still could hear the "splat" as she hit the ground. Nothing left of her but goo to scrape off the pavement. John and Cortana sighed in unison, and the Spartan leaned against the little building that housed the stairs as Cortana spoke up.

"It's over. Finally over, John." John sighed, shaking his head.

"It's over." With a tired groan, John stood up to return to Parangosky's office, where several UNSC Troops and Elites were patching up Arbiter. The two combatants shared a nod. They knew it was far from over. But for now, there would be peace.

And now was all they had.

* * *

Heart's Note: Yes, I realize that Parangosky's death was...anti-climatic...but I just wanted her dead. Besides, the mind begins to go when you get old. She was too cocky! For this story, all that's left is the Epilouge. Ain't gonna be a sequel to this one, nope. Nada. Nyet. Zilch.

Well...maybe in four or so years. Eep. (runs away)


	8. Love

Heart's Note: (leans back in chair) Well, I promised myself I would end this well. When I first started Emotion, I had the express intention to title the final chapter "Love". The idea of the chapter has changed an awful lot from Lisa's ghost appearing to Chief, then to..well, this. I'm not gonna spoil it.

Disclaimer: Halo is Bungies, anything not Halo is mine. (Not that it's gonna be much.)

* * *

_It's been six months since the ONI fell. In the past months, John and I have been really busy. First was Lisa's memorial service. They say she went down with her ship to get us to safety, and that's not as farfetched as it sounds. She died, alongside Charity, to deal a blow to the ONI. It was a blow that would distract them long enough. Then came Nancy, Tony, Emanuel, and everyone else who died in Gulara VII's Silmeria Branch. That tombstone has a lot of names, people who shouldn't have existed, according to the ONI. But they did exist. I know it. John knows it. If they didn't exist...then do I even exist here? I can't answer that. I don't think anyone can. The rebuilding of the UNSC went rather quickly. Lord Hood returned to his post after Parangosky died, and he whipped Earth back into shape in a record 4 months. John and I dropped off the radar while he did that, doing some things I'll describe in a later entry. (Let's just say...Synth Bodies are fully capable of sexual intercourse.) And now, we've returned to Earth. I'm getting married today, do you know?_

_Yeah. Lucky me._

_Cortana._

* * *

Cortana closed her journal with a happy sigh, then winced a little as Catherine's poking and prodding of pins to get the dress held up properly stabbed her with a needle. But it was worth the moment of discomfort, for the poking and prodding and stabbing Cortana in the back was finally over. With a smile, Catherine helped her to stand.

"You look beautiful, dear. Certain to knock John's socks off, I'm sure." Cortana laughed, and both females turned at a knock. A man stepped through, and Cortana smiled towards Lord Hood. He had graciously offered to walk Cortana down the aisle, and there had been absolutely no protest from anyone. Catherine gave her "daughter" a quick hug.

"It's time."

* * *

At the alter, John fidgeted. This was just a formality, and they all knew it. From behind him, Will shifted his wieght.

"Johnny boy, stop wriggling. Honestly, she's not gonna run away." Kelly rolled her eyes at the boys antics, but they all stood up straight as the wedding march started. It was just a simple ceremony. No flower girls, no ring bearers, and no outside parties involved but the pastor. John took a deep breath as Lord Hood and Cortana appeared from another door, and that breath hitched in his chest. She was glowing in that dress. She was smiling from ear to ear as Hood handed her off, and the Pastor began his speech.

"We are gathered here today to witness the union of these two people in holy matrimony..." As the speech droned on and on, John could see the vein in Cortana's forehead begin to pulse as her temper rose. With a sympathetic smile to the pastor, John backed away one step as Cortana let loose.

"Listen here, Sir! We have been waiting for this moment for the past 5 years. **GET ON WITH IT**!" As just about everyone in the small chapel laughed, the pastor regained his composure and closed the book he'd been reading from.

"All right then. If no one protests, I hereby pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the...bride. Why do I even bother...?" The poor man put his head in his hands. John and Cortana had beaten him to the punch and were already locked in a kiss to end the age. Everyone clapped, and the world returned to normal.

At least, for a while.

* * *

4 years later

* * *

Cortana paced, restless. John watched her with a wry smile, leaning back on the wall.

"Relax. The papers went through fine."

"Then why is it taking so long?! Honestly, is the place really that big?" Before John could answer, the doors at the back of the room came open, and the Matron of the Orphanage stepped through, holding a small girl in her arms. Wide blue eyes looked to the waiting pair, and her little arms stretched themselves towards Cortana.

"Mama." Cortana smiled widely, taking her daughter into her arms as John walked over. Some of the girls black hair shielded the girls blue eyes as she looked up at John, and she smiled.

"Dada." The Matron walked away with a smile, leaving the new parents to aquaint themselves with the girl. Taking a seat, Cortana held the girl out in front of her.

"Her name..."

"We did agree on that, I seem to remember.

"Yes, we did."

And Joy Lisa Halsey smiled up at her parents, seeming to promise that everything would be all right.

For through the mouths of babes, will the world be saved.

* * *

Heart's Note: Heehe! Cortana and John adopted a child, since Synth bodies are, in essence, machines incapable of having children. That, and there'd be a lot of War Orphans. Whaddaya think happened to all those kids who's parents got themselves killed in the War, hmm? This is one option.

And I am proud to slap a "Complete" stamp on this baby.

Until next time,

Heart-of-Memories.


	9. Author's Note: June 2012

People may have noticed by now that things have changed around here. Between "Critics United" and "Literate Union", the climate around FFN has taken a drastic turn for the unfriendly. Accounts have been banned, stories deleted, and people have been driven to tears over what was supposed to be a fun hobby, all because of a bunch of bullies. The issues I have with this are long and lengthy, but I won't take up your time with the details. This is just a statement of fact: I'm leaving FFN behind me. This notice will go up on all my stories, and though they will remain up for as long as possible, any incomplete works will not be updated from this point on.

_However_. This does not mean that they will not have updates at all. I'm leaving FFN behind, not stopping writing. This site has taken a turn for the worst but I will still write, however slowly. Writing my first story is what brought my sister and I together. Writing is what gave me my self-confidence back when I thought I'd lost it all. Writing is, to many people, an escape. A method of coping. I will not let mine be taken from me. On that note, I will not be stopped from writing. No bully is going to take away something that I consider important, and none of you should let that happen, either. Their reasoning, removing stories that break site rules, can be respected up to a point. Their methods cannot. Bullying is never the answer. We are all writers, to some degree, and we are all humans. That demands some modicum of respect, and this is not that. This is bullying, and the only method I know to work with bullies is to turn and walk away until the time comes to fight back. Do not let them take your dreams.

For those who want to keep updated more frequently, all updates to any of my stories will be posted on my tumblr, which can be found at **heart-of-memories(dot)tumblr(dot)com**. They will likely be linked to from a different site with Tumblr just serving as the grounds for which to launch, but it's simpler to keep it that way. Also, older fic may be posted on Tumblr at one point or another. Life needs to settle a little more first.

As you've surely seen, this is a work that's noted as "complete" according to FFN standards. As such, it will remain here until it gets deleted for whatever reason. At that time, it will be moved to either the aforementioned Tumblr, or to my new writing "home", **endlessink(dot)dreamwidth(dot)org. **All new fics and any kind of update to the verse this story belongs too will be found there as well, so please follow at your leisure. Hopefully I've made it easy enough for you all to continue doing so, because I cherish each and every one of you. Yes, even the flamers. :3

In closing, I suggest everyone who reads this and has an account here find a new place to host their works. There's no telling when things will get worse.

~Heart


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